How does she do it?
by Prettycrazy
Summary: A little inside on how life's like at the palace good and bad times! Rated T due to one scenes contence.


**Ok Hi - here you have me again, doing something I shouldn't be doing But I was challenged and it set off to many thoughts in my head to just leave it alone. So here is the result of a challenge that had to include both Joseph saving Clarisse from something/someone and a Rupert that wasn't paying much attention to Clarisse.**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, only the plot I guess!!!!

Thank God for that modify thingy : HUGE thank you to RevSue for doing the beta on this story!!!! Love you!!!! 

**  
I hope you will enjoy this little story. **

Happy Holidays 

It was Genovia's Independence Day, and the King and Queen celebrated it by hosting a grand ball with friends, family and all the guests that had to be invited, most of them elderly single men who often chased down the beautiful women at these kind of parties, mostly meaning Clarisse being chased. She often ended up clinging to Rupert's arm or retiring early under the excuse she had an important phone call to make, or when her boys were younger that one of them had fallen ill or something in that style. But tonight she didn't want to cling to Rupert as they weren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment. Still, they both knew how to plaster on the façade that everything was as it should be and that they couldn't be happier.

Rupert had yet again, on one of his many trips, been seen together with a young girl in a very compromising situation, and yet again Clarisse had had to, publicly, forgive and forget, but that wasn't the case when the doors to their private quarters closed. They hadn't spoken together for almost a week, and Rupert's compliment to her looks that evening and her thank you was the first thing they'd said to each other. But they were smiling, holding hands and nodding to everyone as they entered the ball room. Even during dinner, they small-chatted with each other and those around them. Rupert made a toast in Clarisse's honour and finished it off by giving her hand an affectionate kiss. They opened the ball together with a dance and as they swayed across the floor, they smiled at people around them and at each other.

"I'm amazed that we can hold up this façade." Clarisse said, still smiling but more than annoyed to be in Rupert's arms and so close.

"I'm not using a façade, my dear, I think it is ridiculous that you can't just forget!" Rupert said as he brushed his hand against her cheek in an affectionate manner.

"If this was a first then I might be able to forget, but ever since Phillip was born you've been through a large number of women, and I don't find that so easy to forget, especially when you still expect me to perform my wifely duties towards you!" She said as she leaned into his hand.

"Oh just come off it, Clarisse!" He said just as the music finished. He leaned into her and gave her a kiss and led her off the dance floor. And as soon as he had escorted her to her place, he left her for a chat with his third cousin. Clarisse sighed and rested her head against her fingers for a short moment.

"You seem in distress, Madame?" Joseph asked, coming up behind her.

"Oh Joseph, it is nothing. Just a little quarrel between the King and myself." she answered while waving her hand.

"As always!" was his only reply.

"As always? What do you mean by that?" she said as she turned in her seat to face him.

"It is always a quarrel between you and the King that has you act this way!" he simply said and shrugged.

"Joseph, please understand that we've just had a minor disagreement that has left us on non-speaking terms. And I never act this way – usually!" She stammered the last part.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, it is not my place to say anyway. Enjoy the evening!" Joseph quietly bowed out and left.

Clarisse looked in the direction of where Rupert was, and thought about all the problems they'd had through time. Then she looked toward the way Joseph went, and thought about if she really was behaving differently than when she and Rupert were good friends. Just as she started to get agitated about her own transparency, her thoughts were interrupted.

"Your Majesty, may I have the honour of this dance?" the French diplomat, Claude Bouvier, asked.

"Oh monsieur Bouvier, of course you may." Clarisse said reluctantly but rose to her feet taking his outstretched hand. He led her to the dance floor to enjoy a slow waltz, but as soon as Clarisse stepped into his arms, she felt his grip on her waist tighten a little more than necessary. This wasn't the first time the French diplomat had done this. Every time he had a chance to be close to Clarisse, he took it, and he took full advantage of it and the fact that Rupert usually didn't give a damn as to with whom his wife danced or what kind of guests they had. Clarisse had time and time again told Rupert of Monsieur Bouvier's advances, but he had brushed her off and told her that it was the typical French friendliness.

As the dance slowly moved forward, monsieur Bouvier's hands moved downward. When his hand reached the lowest on the small of her back, she very diplomatically tried to stop his actions, but it didn't work.

"Oh your Majesty, relax. I've seen what your husband does too, and you should do it a as well. It is very pleasurable and I am willing!" he whispered in her ear as his hand moved down to fully hold her buttock.

"Monsieur, I love my husband dearly. Would you please release me?" Clarisse firmly stated her lie.

"Be honest now, Clarisse … may I call you that?" he breathed in her ear.

"I will be honest with you, get your hands of me now or I will have you escorted out of my country this minute. You've tried it once before, and that time you should still be able to remember as I do believe my husband threw you out of the double doors and asked you to stay away from me." Clarisse huffed while still trying to push him away.

"Yes I've tried it before, but no, it wasn't your husband it was your personal bodyguard who completely overreacted." Monsieur slowly stated and kissed Clarisse's neck.

"This is the last chance I'm going to give you, Monsieur, or I will summon the guards!" Clarisse hissed out through her teeth, trying to force his hand away from her behind. And just as Clarisse opened her mouth to call for the guards, Monsieur Bouvier released her and bowed, kissed her hand, thanked her for the dance and moved away. Clarisse drew a deep breath, and decided to let her and Rupert's quarrel be what it was for the rest of the evening and walked over to let him in on Claude Bouvier's behaviour.

"Rupert, do you have moment to spare for your wife?" Clarisse asked sweetly and smiled at the company Rupert was entertaining.

"Of course, my love, anything for you!" he said and kissed her swiftly "Gentlemen, will you excuse me?" He looked at the guests who nodded back. Rupert put his hand on the small of her back and guided her over to the corner and was immediately shielded by their guards to give them privacy.

"What is it, Clarisse? You kind of interrupted me!" he asked annoyed.

"I know, Rupert, but I want you to have the guards escort Monsieur Claude Bouvier out of Genovia this moment!" she demanded and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Why on earth would I do that?" Rupert questioned.

"First of all, because your wife asks you to, second of all because he made advances towards me, he had his hands in places he shouldn't have!" she informed him.

"So he thinks you are a beautiful woman, which he is absolutely right about!" He casually said and started to move back to the party when Clarisse grabbed hold of his arm.

"He kissed my neck!" she firmly said.

"Clarisse, relax, as long as he didn't do anything else I see no reason to have him banished from Genovia. Come now, let us go back to the party!" He said as he took her hand and almost dragged her towards the crowd.

About an hour later, both Rupert and Clarisse were chatting with a large group of people. They all laughed at a comment the Spanish ambassador made, when Clarisse felt a hand caress her lower back and moving downward. So she leaned towards Rupert and whispered to him.

"I've not forgiven you yet, Rupert, and I don't find that appropriate here!"

"I'm sorry, Clarisse, but I have no idea what you are talking about!" Rupert answered back very confused but let it slide as soon as he had said that to her.

Clarisse looked to her other side and there he was again, Monsieur Claude Bouvier. She shot him an angry stare, and she moved further away from his hands and closer to Rupert, who instinctively put his arm around his wife's body. Monsieur Bouvier shot her a look of approval towards her discrete move. Clarisse tried to enjoy the story the ambassador was sharing now, but from time to time she felt she had to look at Bouvier to be able to move in time for his next move. But his next move was verbal and she couldn't avoid that.

"Speaking of looking great, none of us around here can't say that we aren't the least bit envious of you, your Majesty. You caught the most beautiful woman in the whole world!" Bouvier smirked.

"Oh don't I know it! I found the world's most perfect specimen of the female creature!" Rupert said and tightened his grip around Clarisse who just smiled.

"Yes you did, and I must say that her Majesty looks ravishing this evening! And I would love to have the next dance with her!" Bouvier said and gestured towards the dance floor.

"By all means, Monsieur, you are in for a treat. My wife is a fabulous dancer and if a man can lead her around the floor perfectly, she is happy. So be my guest!" Rupert released Clarisse and gestured for Bouvier to take his wife's hand, which he did, Clarisse looked pleadingly back at Rupert who just urged her out to dance.

Once on the dance floor, Monsieur Bouvier was a true gentleman, he swayed and swung Clarisse around like a professional. But as the music reached its climax, he had in a beautiful and unnoticeable way moved them to an exit. And in one fast movement, he pushed Clarisse out of the ball room and got her in through the door opposite the exit. He moved faster than Clarisse could follow or fight against.

Within minutes he had her plastered up against the wall, his mouth and hands were everywhere and he seemed to be able to keep Clarisse quiet, due to the fast movements he made. His mouth was everywhere it for sure didn't belong as were his hands, and before Clarisse knew it, she felt his hand move around under her skirt. She fought hard to get her hands free, and she kept turning her head to avoid his lips colliding with hers.

"Oh come now, your Majesty, don't be such paragon of virtue." Bouvier breathlessly said as he tried to hike Clarisse's skirt up even further.

"Please don't do this! Get your hands off!" Clarisse tried first to reason with him, feeling she didn't need to make a scene out of this as she could handle this herself.

"I know you want to. You and his Majesty aren't good together in this department, and you simply have to try a French man." Bouvier said.

"Leave me alone – I'm married – I'm a mother. I swear to God that I will have you decapitated if you do this!" She screamed but the music from the ball room and the closed door made it impossible for anyone to hear her.

"It will be worth it!" was Bouvier's mock reply before his lips crashed on hers.

Clarisse could feel him start working on his pants. She shut her eyes and prayed that someone would walk in anytime now. But she got more and more scared the more she fought him and nothing happened. Just as she screamed no, she felt Bovier move away from her like had he been pulled away. She was afraid to open her eyes until she heard Joseph's voice.

"Monsieur Bouvier, I think you've overstayed your welcome here now. Do you want to leave by yourself or should I throw you back to France?" Joseph stated matter of factly.

"Oh, you again. I prefer to leave when HIS Majesty says thank you for tonight!" Bouvier said.

"No, you will leave NOW!" Joseph said as he lifted Bouvier up by the collar.

"Watch out, little man, I can have you arrested!" Bouvier threatened.

"Then you have to find a country in which I do not have diplomatic immunity!" Joseph calmly said as he motioned for the guards who had followed him to come in and escort Monsieur Bouvier out of Genovia. He was practically dragged away, and Joseph followed him with his eyes all the way out, then he turned to his Queen.

"Your Majesty, are you alright? I apologize for not coming sooner!" Joseph added, saddened.

Clarisse had been trying to hold back her shocked tears "Yes, Joseph, thank you!" she whispered.

"Are you sure, Madame?" he questioned.

"No, no I'm not alright. What would have happened if you hadn't come in?" She cried and was immediately supported by Joseph's arms as she cried into his shoulder.

He didn't want to even think about what would have happened to Clarisse had he not stepped in, so he stayed quiet and tried to calm her down. After fifteen minutes she had calmed down and was fixing her makeup just as Rupert stepped into the room.

"Clarisse, did I just see Claude being escorted out of here by the guards?" Rupert asked rather loudly.

"Yes, your Majesty. I asked the guards to do so!" Joseph stated and stared right over Rupert's shoulder.

"And why on earth is that, if I may ask?" he asked loudly. Both Joseph and Clarisse were quiet "Why?" he this time yelled.

"Because Rupert, if Joseph hadn't had his eyes open, I would have been raped!" Clarisse yelled back.

Rupert looked shocked, but quickly straightened up and cleared his throat. "Well I see all is well! Then stop the silliness and come back in and entertain our guests." Rupert said and waved for Clarisse to follow him.

"Are you sure you are up for that, your Majesty?" Joseph asked concerned.

"I have to be, Joseph, and again thank you!" She caressed his cheek as she passed him, a gesture he treasured as the biggest treasure on the surface of the planet.

He looked through the doors of the ball room, looked straight at Clarisse. She was shocked and he could see it, but she held her head high as if nothing had happened, and smiled at all the right places and he watched her say goodbye to the last guest and walk back inside together with Rupert as the night ended.

But when the door closed, she couldn't hold it together any longer. She crumpled together holding herself and sobbed. Rupert looked down at her, then looked around and caught Joseph's sad look, then he looked back down at Clarisse and kneeled down beside her.

"Clarisse, I'm sorry, is there anything I can do for you?" Rupert asked uncertainly.

"Yes, leave me alone right now!" Clarisse sobbed out.

"Uhm ok dear, I will be in my study!" He said, kissed her on top of her head and left.

Joseph moved over to Clarisse after a few moments, held out a hand for her, which she immediately registered and took hold of. He helped her up and she slowly raised her head and looked at him through tears, before she fell around his neck and cried into his shoulder once again. He just held her and waited for her to make a move.

Several minutes later Clarisse looked up again and gave him a slight smile. "Thank you, Joseph, for everything. If you will excuse me, I must go to my husband's study and teach him how to treat his Queen!"

She turned quickly and left Joseph standing in the middle of the grand hall.

He watched her walk away, shook his head and started off down the hall. "I don't know how she does this!"

**The end...Or????**


End file.
